NHTSA Complaint #10079546 — 1999 AUDI A6

CONSUMER'S WIFE HAD A BAD EXPERIENCE LAST MONTH WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL. SHE HAD THE CRUISE SET AT 75 MPH AND HIT THE BRAKES TO TURN OFF THE CRUISE CONTROL, BUT VEHICLE DID NOT RESPOND. SHE TURNED OFF THE SWITCH ON THE STEERING COLUMN, AND THAT DID NOT STOP THE CRUISE CONTROL. SHE PUT BOTH FEET ON THE BRAKES AND TRIED TO STOP VEHICLE, BUT THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO RUN. FORTUNATELY, CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO POWER BRAKE THE VEHICLE, AND BRING IT OVER TO THE SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY. THEN, BROUGHT THE SPEED DOWN ENOUGH TO SLAM THE TRANSMISSION INTO PARK, AND ABRUPTLY STOP THE VEHICLE'S MOTION. ALL FOUR WHEELS WERE SMOKING, AND SHE TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF. SHE CALLED THE MAPLEWOOD AUDI DEALER, WHERE CONSUMER HAD THE CAR IN FOR FULL SERVICE AND SCHEDULED A CHECKUP. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, AND KEPT FOR DIAGNOSTIC INVESTIGATION BY THE TECHNICIAN. WHEN THE TECHNICIAN TURNED THE VEHICLE ON ENGINE REVVED AND RPMS WENT BACK UP. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT PULLED THE THROTTLE CABLE FROM VEHICLE. AND DISCOVERED CRACKS IN THE HOUSING OF THE CABLE. BUT WERE NOT CERTAIN THAT THIS WAS THE PROBLEM. IT WAS TECHNICIAN'S GUESS. CONSUMER'S WIFE QUESTIONED THIS BECAUSE OF THE CRUISE CONTROL WHICH WAS NOT CABLE RELATED. *AK